A heart valve can become defective or damaged, such as resulting from congenital malformation, disease, or aging. When the valve becomes defective or damaged, the leaflets may not function properly. One common problem associated with a degenerating heart valve is an enlargement of the valve annulus (e.g., dilation). Other problems that may result in valve dysfunction are chordal elongation and lesions developing on one or more of the leaflets. Adverse clinical symptoms, such as chest pain, cardiac arrhythmias, dyspnea, may manifest in response to valve prolapse or regurgitation. As a result, surgical correction, either by valve repair procedures or by valve replacement, may be required.
Surgical reconstruction or repair procedures may include plication, chordal shortening, or chordal replacement. Another common repair procedure relates to remodeling of the valve annulus (e.g., annuloplasty), which may be accomplished by implantation of a prosthetic ring to help stabilize the annulus and to correct or help prevent valvular insufficiency which may result from defect or dysfunction of the valve annulus. Properly sizing and implanting the annuloplasty ring may substantially restore the valve annulus restored to its normal, undilated, circumference. In other situations, the valve can be replaced. During valve replacement procedures, the valve annulus is sized so as to select an appropriately sized replacement valve.